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Frontier Airlines to Outsource 1,300 workers

On Friday, Frontier Airlines announced that it will outsource around 1,300 employees. This move in which the employees will be replaced with contract workers will affect around a third of the carrier's total workforce.

It is said that the airline's outsourcing will look around 1,160 jobs in Denver and another 140 in Mikwaukee. The company also unveiled that it plans to outsource the jobs in Mikwaukee to a privately held company based in Nashville.

Frontier spokesman Todd Lehmachar said about the move, "difficult but necessary decision to transition the management of these departments to business partners who specializes in these areas".

He also added that the announcement does not reflect the service or level of work provided by the team members working for help. Lehmachar affirmed that employees will be given priority during interview process.

As per the Denver Post, Denver was the last station in Frontier's network where airport ground services were still handled by in-house team. The Transport Workers Union that represents Frontier's ramp workers has criticized the decision.

Steve Roberts, director of organizing for the union, said that the company is making good profits and the price of aviation fuel is declining and passenger loads are increasing. In such a scenario, such a decision is not needed.

Roberts said that they have decided to take assistance of lawyer, who will help them to determine what options they have. It is also being said that the move to outsource jobs in Denver could make things tricky for Frontier in its home market.

Jeff Price, a professor of aviation at Denver's Metropolitan State University, said that this news shows a further 'erosion of the whole hometown airline concept' for Frontier.

Frontier said tht the employees can reapply for their jobs through outsourced contract positions. It also said that the cuts are important to compete in the marketplace as an ultra-low cost carrier.